1000 camels.

written June 3, 2009

We are on day #4 in Morocco. It is a very different part of Africa than Ghana. Think Aladdin. We spent 2 days in Tanger, which is a port city, and then took the train to Fes, where we are now. We are staying in the oldest and most confusing medival Arab city in the world - 9500 narrow winding alleys! Even the locals get lost, so we are hoping to find our way back ok tonight. This afternoon we hired a guide, so this is our first forray by ourselves. Options if we get REALLY lost: pay a local kid to take us back, find the picture we took of the host's phone number and ask him to come and get us.

This place is very interesting. I have never been anywhere predominantly Muslim before, and I am actually glad that it is Kyle I am with this time and not Leisha. Our last night in Tanger, we braved the cafe to have some Moroccan tea (most delicious) but I was the only female we had seen in the whole city sitting down for a drink. Since we have been in Fes I have had the following comments: I have a beautiful Arab face, my 'maman' must be from Morocco, Kyle could either trade me for 1000 camels, or he should buy me that many - we aren't sure. As long as I didn't talk, if I was wearing local garb I would pass for local - I think that this is actually helpful when we are walking through the market. Speaking of garb, you can't show your knees or shoulders here, and we are getting used to feeling really hot!

It is also my first trip somewhere where there is so little English. Fes is actually better than Tanger, because there are more tourists here - although most of them are European. I am busting more French than I have ever had to before, but it makes the travelling a little more intimidating and funny. People speak French to us, although they assume that we are native Spanish speakers, and their first language is Arabic. Kyle has a little Spanish, and French, but he keeps getting mixed up between the two - I actually remember an amazing amount of French when I need to, but get shy to use it, and the Arabic is very difficult - too many foreign sounds. The Europeans, especially the young ones put us to shame - we met these people on the train that spoke perfect English and French, and they were Italian!